Meanwhilethedesiretoexpressmyselfgrew.ThefewsignsIusedbecamelessandlessadequate,andmyfailurestomakemyselfuoodwereinvariablyfollowedbyoutburstsofpassioasifinvisiblehandswereholdingme,andImadefranticeffortstofreemyself.Istruggled--notthatstrugglinghelpedmatters,butthespiritofresistancewasstrongwithinme;Igenerallybrokedownintearsandphysicalexhaustion.IfmymotherhappeobenearIcreptintoherarms,toomiserableeventorememberthecauseofthetempest.Afterawhiletheneedofsomemeansofunicationbecamesentthattheseoutburstsoccurreddaily,sometimeshourly.

    Myparentsweredeeplygrievedandperplexed.Welivedalongwayfromanyschoolfortheblindorthedeaf,anditseemeduhatanyonewouldetosuout-of-the-laceasTuscumbiatoteachachildwhowasbothdeafandblind.Indeed,myfriendsaivessometimesdoubtedwhetherIcouldbetaught.MymothersonlyrayofhopecamefromDiss"Ameriotes."ShehadreadhisatofLauraBridgman,andrememberedvaguelythatshewasdeafandblihadbeeneducated.ButshealsorememberedelesspangthatDr.Howe,whohaddiscoveredthewaytoteachthedeafandblind,hadbeendeadmanyyears.Hismethodshadprobablydiedwithhim;andiftheyhadnot,howwasalittlegirlinafar-offtowninAlabamatoreceivethebeofthem?

    WhenIwasaboutsixyearsold,myfatherheardofanemioculistinBaltimore,whohadbeensuccessfulinmanycasesthathadseemedhopeless.MyparentsatoermiakemetoBaltimoretoseeifanythingcouldbedoneformyeyes.

    Thejourney,whichIrememberwellwasverypleasant.Imadefriendswithmanypeopleorain.Oneladygavemeaboxofshells.MyfathermadeholesinthesesothatIcouldstringthem,an